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Wellness has become fashionable at Saks

January 10, 2022Written by Tom Ryan

Source: saksfifthavenue.com

Saks.com has launched an online shop focused on wellness as health consciousness rises amid the pandemic. The Wellness Shop encompasses four key pillars:

Fitness: An expanded range of athletic apparel, shoes and accessories, including recovery products from Hyperice, smart jump ropes from Tangram and apparel from Rhone, Beyond Yoga, Fourlaps and SoulCycle.
Health & Nutrition: Vitamins and supplements, protein powders, kitchen tech and tools and cookbooks, including plant‑based wellness supplements from Wylde One and smoothie blenders from Vitamix.
Sexual Wellness: Vibrators from Lelo, feminine care from Dr. Barbara Sturm, intimate products from Maude and menopause therapy devices from Joylux.
Rest & Relaxation: Mindfulness tools, sleep products and aromatherapy, including Surell weighted blankets, HATCH sleep machines, Vyrao therapeutic fragrances and sleep supplements from Hush & Hush.

Saks debuts its shop — featuring more than 100 brands, 50 of which are new to the retailer — at a time when personal health is being emphasized, in part because people with compromised immune systems have been more susceptible to catching COVID-19. Many have also turned to exercise and meditation for stress relief. “Over the last two years, with more people working from home and changing their lifestyles, we’re seeing a larger demand for health-related items across all categories,” Tracy Margolies, Saks’ chief merchandising officer, told Forbes. “Customers are living a more casual lifestyle, pushing their fashion purchases toward athleisure. They’re also focusing on their wellbeing through nutrition and looking for ways to live a healthy lifestyle at home.” Other retailers are upgrading their wellness initiatives, as well. Nordstrom, last September, started selling Viome’s at-home microbiome testing kits. Kohl’s began piloting Kohl's Wellness Markets in October to offer personal care and cleaning solutions. A global study from McKinsey last year found a substantial increase in the prioritization of wellness over the past two to three years. The study identified five wellness consumer profiles — Wellness Enthusiasts, Socially Responsible, Price-Conscious, Loyalists, Passive Participants — the first two of which are in Saks’ wheelhouse. McKinsey wrote, “Wellness enthusiasts are high-income consumers who actively follow brands on social media, track new-product launches and are excited about innovations. The socially responsible prefer (and are willing to pay more for) brands that are environmentally sustainable and with clean/natural ingredients.”

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